Giants of the Frost

Europa #2

by Kim Wilkins

Taking a job on an isolated island in the Sea of Norway, scientist Victoria Scott wants a quiet place to finish her doctoral thesis. But Victoria isn't prepared for the strange shadows outside her cabin window, the rumors of a murderous hag who sucks one's soul during sleep, and the tales of mythic monsters lurking in the forest. More frightening than the islands nightmarish mysteries: to Victoria, everything is hauntingly familiar.

When an enigmatic stranger appears on the island, Victoria's sense of foreboding peaks. For she learns that they are connected by a conflict centuries old--one that can end only with her death...

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal

533 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Also writes under the name of Kimberley Freeman.

Reviews

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giants of the Frost turned out to be a slow read, but it was a very good book. I think that the use of Norse mythology was well done. I appreciate how Ms. Wilkins took Norse mythology and folklore and created something novel with these elements as a basis.

Although it took me a while to get sucked into the romantic aspects, admittedly a big part of this book, I enjoyed reading about the characters: Victoria, Vidar, Aud, and Loki, whose fates are entwined rather deeply. I also appreciated the secondary cast of characters, the norns (three sisters who weave the fates for the Aesir), Skripi (a forest wight who is a lot of help to Victoria), and Victoria's coworkers, especially Gunnar (who is a very good friend and source of information about Norse myths to Victoria), to name a few. It was interesting to see Victoria's journey from grounded, almost boneheaded skepticism (she calls herself a fundamental atheist), to a woman who believes that she is the reincarnated lover of the son of Odin. Loki was quite the scene stealer. Ms. Wilkins managed to take this scheming, perpetually joking and stealing trickster of Norse lore, and make him into an appealing antihero who definitely got my interest. Aud, who is the bondmaid of Vidar, really earned my sympathy. She made a bargain out of a mother's love that cost her a thousand years and is in love with Vidar, although she knows it will never be returned. I liked that the characters were complex, realistically selfish in their desires at times, and not always motivated to do the right thing; yet they did show good qualities that made me want the best for them.

Ms. Wilkins is a very good writer, drawing vivid pictures in my mind. My favorite parts were the retelling of Vidar's struggle to be reunited with his love. It reminded me of fairy and folktales in which a character goes on a quest and suffers greatly, for that which is their heart's desire. I admit that there were parts where my interest waned, but I was glad I kept reading, especially when it got to the more interesting parts with Vidar's quest. Although I was a bit ambivalent about the fated love aspect of this story (more from the execution since I normally love that in a romance), I admit that by the end of the book, I was crying and hoping that Victoria and Vidar would get their chance to be together and happy.

I didn't quite know what to expect with this book. I picked it up because of my interest in Norse mythology, and I'm glad I did. This book was expertly crafted, with gratifying depths of complexity; a rich tapestry woven from the threads of identifiably human emotion--both good and bad--and fascinating lore and legend. I'll definitely be reading more from this author.

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the books I've read so far this year, this is one of my favorites. The characters were amazing, the story was so intriguing I didn't want to put it down, and the writing was absolutely beautiful. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who enjoy fantasy novels.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 10%. This is a romance disguised as an actual story with smart characters and interesting mythology. I don't care about predestined, reincarnated blah, even with a skeptic female scientist as the main character. Actually, Victoria Scott (seriously? her name sounds like she should be a gothic romance writer from the 60s) apparently hates other women and only sees men as potential mates or creepers. Nor does she seem to have any interest in the geophysics she's apparently getting her PhD in. Look, I totally understand grad school burnout, but the fact that she finds a guy who wears musty sweaters more attractive than the geophysics of the cool remote island she's working on kind of floors me.

Side rant: I reeaaally don't like the way this character is a scientist mostly because it was needed to get her out to said remote island for the romantic plot to work. Why not make her the ship's cook, in that case? It's possible to write interesting, convincing scientist characters whose curiosity and okay, borderline obsessiveness, are major plot drivers (ahem, Annihilation), but you definitely won't find one in Giants of the Frost.

I am thoroughly unimpressed in less than 1/10th of the book. Which is almost impressive in itself.

[Jessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim Wilkins is one of my new favorite authors. My sister recommended her books years ago and I didn't get around to reading them until now.

I enjoyed Giants of the Frost even more than The Autumn Castle because the main characters were smarter and thus more likable. Wilkins is very good at giving all of her characters depth. The plot moved along at an excellent pace. I loved the ties to Norse mythology. There were many interesting creatures, places, people, and items in this one because a good portion of it takes place in another realm.

I like the creepy elements Wilkins brings to her writing, but I couldn't read it at night, during the first eight or so chapters. I still shudder thinking about it.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

In thirty-five pages, there was 1) a love triangle revealed, wherein one of the possible couplings is entirely unlikely. 2) the words "two defenseless women" were used un-ironically. 3) despite claims of being entirely uninterested in love, the main character knows the eligibility of all the men, despite 4) all of the women hate her and all the men want her. I am officially out. Thirty-five pages was all it took-- even Norse mythology isn't worth this poorly disguised Twilight crap.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars--I liked the book.

Another in Wilkins' series of mortal women/supernatural men romances. This one has a Nordic twist. I'm not a huge fan of insta-love (even if it's fated!), but I liked the characterization, and the plot surprised me a few times.

[Claudi Feldhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spannend, mystisch, romantisch ... wieder mal alles dran, was ein großartiges Buch braucht.

[Elizabeth Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Kim is so good at creating a world and making it real. I cried. I laughed. I vouched for my favorite characters. This book left me feeling good.

This is my second time I've read it.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to pull myself through parts of this book but ultimately when I completed it I was very satisfied with the story. Kim wraps up all the loose ends nicely and she had a bit in the book with Loki, my favorite Norse God. I borrowed this book from a friend and wound up buying a copy for myself. It has a lot of detail and characters but I managed to not get too lost.

[Buffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memories streamed through him: blood and fire and the helpless shrieks of mortal suffering. "There is no love, Vidar," his father had said. "There is only fate."

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book! So far, I've only read two books that are based on or have Norse mythology incorporated into them and I've adored them both. The thing that has always intrigued me about any type of mythology is that not everyone gets a happy ending. I'd like to take a moment to say that I'm not against happy endings because, let's face it, sometimes we need them. Sometimes I like reading stories where everyone lives happily ever after except for the villain who has gotten his comeuppance in a very satisfying way. But most of the time I'm a sucker for a tragic character.

And boy, there are some tragic characters in this book.

Nutshell blurb: Vidar, the son of Odin, has been waiting a thousand years for the soul of his beloved to be reincarnated. Unfortunately, he has some daddy issues. Odin was the one who murdered her and would do so again if he found out that she had been reborn and that Vidar was anywhere near her.

This is a love story or perhaps a story about how powerful love is. 'Wait, Buffy,' you might be saying. 'I thought you didn't like romantic stories.' In which case I would have to clarify my definitions of love vs romance stories. In my mind (and it could be different for you) a romance story focuses on the two star-crossed characters. There's a lot of will they, won't they even though you totally know that they will. There's also a lot of sexy-time and something like 50 different words for a man's winkle. For me, a love story is part of a larger story and doesn't hinge on whether the two people get together. There might be some out and out sexy-time or it might be implied but it's part of a larger story. Perhaps that's a bit simplistic, but that's how it works in my brain.

So, let's start with Vidar. Could you imagine a man patient enough to wait 1000 years for you to be reincarnated? He's angry and disillusioned by his family, particularly his father and just wants to spend a lifetime with the love of his life, which isn't really a long time considering that he's from Asgard and she's a mortal from Midgard. So, what's the problem, Odin? The problem is that his entire family think that he's weak because he was an exceptional warrior who fell in love and decided not to kill people any more. They're the worst type of meddling family members. Vidar decides to go off into the forest and live in a cabin away from all of them just to get some peace and quiet from them. The thing that's so tragic about him is that he knows deep in his heart that even though she's been reincarnated they can never be together yet they both try to escape their fate.

Next up we've got Victoria the reincarnated lover. She's a meteorologist doing research on Othinsey aka Odin's Island. She's got a lot of first world problems. She views her mom as a bit of an nutcase who consults psychics and she frequently becomes frustrated with her because Victoria's a scientist who doesn't believe in superstition and other such things. She can't hold down a decent relationship and has gone to this Norwegian island in an effort to avoid relationships, yet she finds that she's the object of attraction/affection to a couple of people on the island. She just wants to be left alone. Then she meets Vidar and had to rethink everything that she believed.

I think that my favourite tragic character is Aud. She's a princess who is a bondmaid to the Aesir because she made a deal with the Norns who weave the fates of everyone. She must serve the Aesir for 1000 years. During her servitude, she falls in love with Vidar who obviously can't love her because he's in love with Victoria. I liked her the most because she wasn't bitchy or spiteful about her situation even though she couldn't have her way. She struggled through the entire book and it just seemed like she couldn't catch a break. I really felt for her and felt like I could relate to her. She wasn't perfect and she made some bad decisions but she accepted that she had to serve her 1000 years and just got on with it.

My one criticism of this story is that I felt that the ending was rushed. Or maybe I was rushed when I read it. You see, I usually leave books at home when I have 100 pages or less to read because the last 100 pages or so is when it all hits the fan and I don't want to be interrupted by things like getting off of trains and having to start work. I was so close to the end and I thought that I could finish it on the train. Unfortunately, I didn't get much sleep the night before and I kept dozing off during my commute. I got off of the train with something like 15 pages left to read. I should have sat down on a bench at the station and finished it, but I didn't. (Don't worry, it wouldn't have made me late for work. I got there pretty early.) I ended up finishing it during my lunch hour which meant that I picked it up in the middle of an action scene.

First world problems, my friends.

Anyway, this is a book I'll reread one day and then I'll get a better sense of whether or not the ending was rushed or if it was just me.

I think that this book would have made me cry if I hadn't been interrupted. It certainly took my breath away.

Full review at Storytime With Buffy

[Julie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed originally in 2009 for SFFaudio - see below.

=============

Fleeing a failed engagement and mother who makes life decisions based on a psychic’s predictions, skeptic Victoria Scott joins a weather team on a Scandinavian island. Harassed by insomnia and her unpredictable boss, she writes off her dreams of a breath-sucking hag and forest creature made of twigs as nightmares. Eventually, however, she discovers that these creatures are real and possibly the least of those she may encounter.

The island is actually Midgard, a gate between our world and that of the old Nordic god, Asgard. The book alternately tells Victoria’s story and that of Vidar, a son of Odin, who has been waiting a thousand years for Victoria to be born. In Vidar’s world we meet, among others, his bondmaid Aud, who tells much of the story, and his cousin Loki, trickster god of the Norse pantheon.

At first, Victoria is extremely shallow and self-absorbed, especially in her constant worries that any kind man has designs upon her. However, as the story unfolds and mythological elements gradually are incorporated, this feeling is lessened. My foreboding that this story was simply a typical romance was relieved completely when Aud’s and Vidar’s voices began to be heard. At that point the story became more intricate and took on weight and depth. By the last third of the book, I was on the edge of my seat wondering how the destiny of the two star-crossed lovers could possibly have the happy ending that I desired. Although such questions drive the story forward, much of the story’s true strength comes from Wilkins’ almost poetic incorporation of accurate Norse mythology and weather science.

Narrator Edwina Wren delivers the story in either English or Scandinavian accents as the story requires. Her performance is compelling, especially when depicting Aud and Vidar. Transitions from one section to another are indicated with music which is welcome in helping the listener make the necessary mental switch in a book that has many points of view. This is an extremely pleasing audio book overall and Wren is a narrator to seek out in the future.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giants of the Frost took me by surprise for a few reasons. First, I didn't expect such a gripping, entertaining story. Second, I wasn't prepared for the author's mad skills. And third, I had no idea that reading it would launch my Kim Wilkins collection from zero to ten books owned in a matter of weeks!

The Norse mythology elements appealed to me when I initially added this (Odin, Thor, and Loki tend to keep things interesting), but I ended up being just as engrossed in the modern-day elements. You wouldn't think that mythology, gods, and ghouls would fit well with reality, scientists, and love -- especially in an alternating narrative -- but it works perfectly and it was a straight-up delight.

What makes this author so excellent, you ask? It's difficult to explain exactly how her writing resonates with me, but I'm going to try. She blends fantasy and myth with horror, paranormal, and romance like it's no big deal. Her characters are smart, complicated, and relatable. Her word choices are intriguing. When I was reading Giants of the Frost (and The Autumn Castle shortly afterward), I was torn between my desire to read faster to find out what happens and my desire to savor said word choices like hard candy. And when it was all over, I was warm and fuzzy but also bummed because I wanted to read another book that made me feel like that. It's rare to find a book/author that awakens something inexplicable, and I wasn't about to let the opportunity pass. Therefore, my solution was to track down as many of her novels as I could and pepper them into my reading list. :)

I feel like I've been gushing about Ms. Wilkins a lot lately, but I assure you it's justified. She's already one of my favorite authors. I'm anxious to devour more of her books and fangirl even harder, so stay tuned for that...

**FYI, this book is technically part of the Europa series, but you don't need to read that series in order. You can start with The Autumn Castle, Giants of the Frost, or Veil of Gold. Whichever sounds most interesting to you.**

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is as much a romance as a thriller or a mystery. I loved every moment of it, and fell in love with Vidar in a way I wouldn't have throught possible.

I loved the intertwined threads of plots and fates, the cuts between Asgard and Earth, and the stories of passion gone in unforeseen directions.

As I was reading, I found myself growing every more concerned about the ending. It seemed impossible that the story could end happily, but I was concerned that a tragic ending would make me feel that the entire book had been pointless. I needn't have worried. Wilkins delivers a beautifully considered, authentic and (most of all) satisfying conclusion to what I would consider a love story of the ages.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction, historical romance and Norse themed tales.

[Emily Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of my all time favourite books. I so clearly remember the day I got this, I was too poor to afford a full price novel, despite visiting the bookstore everyday for hours on end, it was $10 in a sale bin out the front and I grabbed it and loved the storyline. I still think about reading it for the first time when I see the book on my shelf.

I loved the story, this is possibly my first introduction to viking mythology and Scandinavian folklore, as well as the interweaving of mythology and fiction.

The love scene was also fantastic for a nerdy 15 year old to come across. I certainly set the bar weirdly high haha.

Loved the ending, loved the turmoil, loved the schadenfreude. 11/10 stars.

[Alisa Kester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not hugely interested in Norse mythology, but the premise of this book seemed too good to pass up. A lonely, isolated island, populated only by a scant handful of weather researchers, and haunted by the old hag who comes in our nightmares to sit on our chests and suck our breath...oh yeah, I can forgive a few Norse gods for a plot like this! And none of it disappointed; this was a solidly fascinating and unusual love story, full of legend and pathos.

[Amelia Rockliff · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bolinda audiobook. I sat through 15 hours of shockingly written badly structured shittily narrated romantic star-crossed lovers crap and I didn't even get my fucking god damned happy ending.

Do I sound bitter? I am exceedingly bitter.

[Kim Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. New to me author, not really my genre but a good story. The narrator was amazing and brought the book to life. I thought the book was too long. It was a MF paranormal story.

[Nafiza]

Putting it on hold because I am not feeling it at the moment.

[Miriam Cihodariu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second read in this series of European mythology and lore, Giants of the Frost deals with well-known Norse characters, rearranged in a novel way and with extra layers. I like the author's creative playfulness using classic sources as her starting point. The story was ok as well.

[Karissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have had this book to read for quite some time. I first read Kim Wilkins in the Dreaming Again anthology released in 2008. I immediately went out and picked out Giants of the Frost and The Autumn Castle. I thought the Autumn Castle was okay, but not great. Giants of the Frost was also in the “okay but not great” category. It moves pretty slowly. It’s advertised as an urban fantasy but really doesn’t fit in that genre all that well.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was okay. Some of the characters voices were really well done and some were very annoying. For example the character of Aud had a very scratchy annoying voice. However, the main character’s voice was incredibly well done and nice to listen to. So I guess there was some good and some bad here.

Victoria Scott is trying to recover from breaking off her engagement and just wants somewhere quiet to finish her thesis. She takes a job on an isolated island in the Sea of Norway with a small group of weather researchers. Vicki is a logical woman and isn’t prepared for the stick like man who haunts her doorstep or the terrifying Hag that tries to suck the life out of her. Unknown to Vicki she has a history with this island, a history from a past life.

Meanwhile in Aesir lands Vidar is waiting for his true love on Midgar to be reborn. Until that time he is living away from the rest of his family (Odin, Loki, etc.) in a simple farmhouse with the slave Aud. Odin wants to keep Vidar close because of the prophecy that Vidar will one day save his life. However, Vidar is determined to be reunited with this true love once she is reborn.

I enjoyed the Norse mythology here and the beautiful writing style. I love the setting of the lonely Norse island in the sea; it’s very atmospheric and Wilkins makes it easy to picture. However, this story is very slow. Not a lot happens given how long the book is; midway through the book I was just plain bored.

I really enjoyed the characters on the research island in Midgard; Vicki and her coworkers were doing interesting work and were interesting to read about. However, I thought the portions of the book that took place in Asgard were boring and childish. I really disliked the character of Aud who made numerous poor decisions and then ended up being one of the only characters to get a happy ending. I cannot begin to go into the depths of my dislike for Aud and her childish and selfish decisions.

Overall this was an okay read. There were parts of the book I really liked (the mythology, Vicki’s character, writing style) and parts that I absolutely hated (how slow the middle of the book was, Aud’s character, the scenes in Asgard). It was just a very uneven read for me. I think from now on I will stick to Wilkins short stories and skip her books; I seem to enjoy her short stories a lot better than any of the books she’s written.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first drawn to this book by it's once-in-a-blue-moon beautiful cover and the promise of Norse mythology, for which I have a soft spot.

The story of lost, unrequited, and reincarnated love didn't grab me in the slightest, in fact their sappy dialog inspired such gut-reaction level snark, but I still devoured this book and loved ever minute of it. I think it is partly the intrigue, mystery, and ever present threat of discovery built up around the core story; partly the rich and detailed world and characters; and partly the sheer mastery with which the book is written.

I was nearly half way through the book before I realized that with each point of view change the book also shifted between first person and third person. It was so smooth and effortless I might never have noticed if I hadn't started looking closer at the prose to figure out why I liked it. And then towards the end of the book the third person shifts to first person past-tense for several chapters as one character relates to another a part of the history. A switch like that is so tricky to pull off that I'll probably come back to this book again and again just to figure out how Wilkins did it.

I'm quite familiar with Norse mythology, it has fascinated me since I was a child, and not once did I object to any aspect of it that was used. I often thrown out of a story because of an author's under-researched use of mythology, so this case was quite refreshing. The mythology and folklore is smoothly integrated into the world, as is the real-world science(though I cannot say how accurate it is; it seems accurate from its depiction).

Some of the characterizations don't sit well with me - the heroine accepts things far to easily, hand waving it all away with past-life mojo, and one of the side characters could have been changed into a girl and no one would notice if not for the fact that at several points the heroine needs to borrow mens clothes. The ending is satisfactory, but doesn't have much punch to it. Like soda that had gone flat while you were drinking it. Still an excellent book though.

[Esteé Hallatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria's on an island, far away from home in order to get away from her ordinary life and its past romantic disappointments...but it soon takes a mythical - and often dark, turn not long after her start at a new job.

One of my uncles recommended the book to me a few years ago after we saw the movie Thor together. I was hesitant to read it at first, because I liked the movie, but I'm definitely not its number one fan. Now I'm so glad I finally read it. I loved this book!

P.S. I get that I was supposed to be enthralled with Victoria's adventure and the various people (and creatures) she comes across, but at the end of it all I am completely in love with Loki.

[Rasheta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more then I did, I am big on reading about the Norse gods and reading about different Pantheons. I just didn't like the book, I didn't care for how it was written or well anything about it. I did kind of like Victoria her internal monologues were funny occasionally. The rest of the book...meh not so much. I didn't really connect to Vidar or Aud, I couldn't figure out what Loki's game was he let Aud have her son back, but not sure what happened with that otherwise next time you see her she's helping Vidar, but you don't know how she got out of working for Loki. *head scratches*

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't completely won over until about halfway into this novel, but once the action began, I was hooked. Although the writing was strong, I felt especially drawn to the characters. Wilkins was able to ascribe to each character a distinct and unique personality. There was also a noticeable change in language between the Asgard and Midgard scenes, like stepping from the past into the future.

Although the novel is mostly serious and slightly dark, Wilkins was also able to infuse many of the scenes with a light humor that broke up the tension nicely.

[Vanessa Hutchinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this book and felt that it was neatly written with good pacing I give it only two stars. At a point the characters became flat and I started to feel it had become formulaic. Vidar becomes the recognisable male protagonist you find in romances who has to be with the female protagonist at all costs. The cost seems to be their inner life. Some of the minor characters, such as Skripi, are just great.
All the correct plot devices are in place to carry the story and drive it along at a pace so it's a well constructed story.

[Kristīne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got as far as the middle and just had to say no and mark as dnf.

The premise was good, the characters were compelling at first but the more I read the less I enjoyed it. and to be honest I didn't expect it to get so frustrating to deal with, not just the characters, but plot wise some things were not well executed.

I got so tired of waiting for Victoria and Vidar to meet and when they did it turned out to be really disappointing.

The switching point of views didn't help the matter either.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a delight: easy to believe characters, nice romance, a good portion of Scandinavian folklore.
I would give it five starts, if I wouldn't be so dissapointed by the ending. I don't get it: is happy end out of fashion? Was it a tribute to the stark realities of life? C'mon, we're talking about a Scandinavian god in love with a mortal woman, there is no place for realism here! I feel like I've been robbed.

[Jill Myles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this so much more than I did. It read as more of an introspective sort of contemporary fantasy, and I was really hoping for...I'm not sure what. More romance? More mythology? At any rate, it wasn't the book I was looking for. It was, however, extremely well written and entertaining, so I hold to the fact that it was me more than this book.

[Rebekah Witherkay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! If you enjoy supernatural romance, you will enjoy it too. I like the blend of the old Norse Gods and characters from today. I enjoyed the writing style, it kept my reading late into the night, but I would then dream of the Hag coming to get me! Overall an enjoyable romantic read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Autumn Castle and this book was even better. I loved all of the Norse mythology, but even more so the characters and the story line were compelling and made me want to keep reading and really care about what happened to all of the characters. This is a really good book!